Capturing the Splendor of Fireworks Displays
July 29, 2010 by admin
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Capturing fireworks displays in all their glory and splendor with a digital camera is not as difficult as it seems, although amateur and novice photographers may feel apprehensive before making an attempt.
Photographing fireworks display is similar to photographing a rapidly moving object and since most digital cameras are highly sensitive when it comes to capturing movements, it is essential for the camera to be still in such cases. This can be ensured by using a steady tripod, so that even when longer shutter speed is used, the camera remains stationary and the probability of camera shake is greatly reduced. Alternatively, one can invest in a remote release device or use a self timer to ensure the stillness of the camera. While the remote release devices may be different for every camera, but they are pretty straightforward to use; the self timers, on the other hand, requires some skills since great shots will require perfect timing.
Anticipation is one of the most important factors while taking a shot of fireworks display and certain tips which might come in handy in this regard are putting in some initial planning, deciding whether the framing shot should be vertical or horizontal and matching the frame with the particular segment in the sky. Among these factors it is the initial planning, which is the most important and it entails making a note of the part of the sky in which the fireworks are going to be displayed, finding an unobstructed position and deciding the foreground and background of the shot.
Fireworks display can be framed in a vertical or horizontal manner and even though it is a personal choice of the photographer, the mostly vertical movements of the fireworks are better captured when using a vertical perspective. It is equally essential for the photographer to keep his horizons straight and ensure that the camera remains leveled right from the moment when it is set up.
While shooting a fireworks display, some of the most common yet difficult questions which are posed pertain to technicalities such as focal length, aperture, shutter speed and ISO. An ideal shot would involve a combination of wide focal length, aperture setting between f-stop f/8 and f/16, shooting in the bulb mode, which would enable the shutter to remain open for a long period of time, and an ISO value of 100. An additional suggestion would be to switch off the flash since its presence is not likely to make any difference to the shot.
Many veteran photographers suggest shooting fireworks displays by using manual exposure and manual focus modes and although it might require a lot of setting in terms of focus, this mode usually produces good results. Ultimately, the most important point to remember is that practice makes perfect and therefore constant monitoring and experimenting with a series of shots taken through different perspectives always adds to one’s experience in finding the best settings.
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